How Long Will a Protein Shake Last Left Out at Room Temperature?

You probably have this question because you go to the gym early in the day. You would prefer to mix your protein shake the night before and then drop it in your bag in time for the gym. This article is for you as it will examine how long protein shakes can last at room temperature. 

If you cannot access or keep your shake in a refrigerator, you may wonder how long it can last at room temperature until you can no longer drink it.

Unrefrigerated protein shakes at room temperature can survive for around two hours before they turn bad and unsafe to drink.

So, while you may be able to prepare it just in time for gym and drink it right after, you can not prepare it the night before your gym. If you make it before the gym and want to take it along, you can use the BlenderBottle Shaker Bottle Pro Series.

So, what if you found a refrigerator, how long would your protein shake mix last? As you can expect, a bit longer. Refrigerated shakes can survive about 72 hours, even as it runs the risk of separation. You can simply reblend and chug it down when you notice separation. However, the 72-hour guarantee only applies if you mix the protein powder with milk or water. On the other hand, the shake may not stay fresh despite refrigeration if you combine it with extra foods. 

Other FAQs about protein shakes

Here are some other pieces of information about the muscle developer that you should know:

Why are protein shakes important? 

Protein shakes are essential for weightlifters for many reasons. Primarily, they help you improve your protein storage for muscle building. Proteins consist of amino acids, your muscle’s building blocks. While your body produces a decent amount of amino acids, it does not produce some amino acids essential for muscle growth. So you need external sources like meat, beans, nuts, and soy for these essential muscle-building proteins. Because protein shakes comprise essential amino acids, your body may not produce, drinking them gives your body vital resources when you consume them. 

Can I mix alcohol with my protein shake?

To learn what occurs when you mix protein shakes and alcohol, you should first understand what happens when you consume either of them. What happens with alcohol is straightforward; it enters your digestive tract and goes into your bloodstream. Through this route, it hitches along with your blood and travels to every part of your body. Alcohol gets to your brain first, with its influence depending on different factors, such as how much alcohol you drink, whether you had anything to eat before drinking it, and your tolerance level. Eventually, your liver breaks down all the alcohol in your bloodstream.

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Unlike alcohol, protein shakes improve your protein storage for muscle building. Amino acids are vital for life and, more crucially, for building muscles. Protein shakes comprise key amino acids; when you ingest them, you give your body with necessary materials to build muscles. You may think that while your protein shake does its thing, the alcohol will similarly do its thing without any effects on one another. However, mixing protein shakes and alcohol may result differently than you expect.

Research has shown that mixing both liquids, particularly after exercising, can reduce muscle growth and recovery rate. The study showed that alcohol reduces rates of MPS, even if you mix it with protein. As a result, the study concluded that alcohol ingestion limits the anabolic response in skeletal muscle and can affect muscle recovery. Alcohol also affects how your body makes amino acids from proteins into. Because of this, you can not get as much benefit from the shake as it becomes difficult for your body to absorb the proteins it offers. 

Can you drink protein shakes on rest days?

After discovering that you can preserve your protein shake a bit longer than you may have expected, you may wonder if you can use it on your rest days. Lucky for you, there is no better time to use your protein shake. Protein is key for muscle recovery; as it turns out, muscles recover better on rest days. Because of this, you should eat high-quality protein meals, like your protein shake, especially on your rest days. This will help you enjoy accelerated muscle recovery and development.

Best time to use protein shakes

Rest days are not the only periods you can leverage protein shakes, so here are some of the best times to use protein shakes:

As a substitution for your meals

If you have a busy schedule and cannot find the time to prepare some meals, you can turn to protein shakes as they are capable of serving as the once-in-a-while replacement to a prepared meal. However, if you are taking this route, you should know that protein shakes are not to replace your meals. Rather, the shakes complement them. You can consider the Premier Protein Shake, Caramel, 11.5 Fl. Oz for its nutritious benefits.

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